


Quiet

by archi



Series: By Grace, We Are Saved [24]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Gen, M/M, Sandwiches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-14
Updated: 2013-05-14
Packaged: 2017-12-11 20:05:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/802686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archi/pseuds/archi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Are you ok?” Sam asked carefully.</p><p>Dean laughed humorlessly, “Not a bit Sam.”</p><p>“So you’re making sandwiches?”</p><p>“It’s lunchtime and I’m hungry,” Dean shrugged, “What do you expect?”</p><p>Sam POV to aftermath of "Go" and "Frontline"</p><p>Note: <b>This verse reads as one continuous story</b> Some sections overlap as told from different pov.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quiet

It hadn’t gone well. The fresh bruising and traces of smeared blood around his nose could tell you that. Charlie ushering a sorrowful looking Castiel into the passenger side of her car could tell you just as well. 

Sam had stood with Charlie at the edge of the wood, listening intently for any sounds of movement, or yelling, or anything, really. Sam didn’t know _why_ Castiel thought it was a good idea to follow Dean into the woods alone but frankly it was out of his hands now.

Dean had returned before Cas had, glaring at the both of them, held up his hand and said simply, “Not yet, Sammy. Sorry Charlie,” before walking into the bunker.

He wasn’t surprised.

After a few more minutes of just standing there, waiting for Castiel to reappear, he heard little snuffling noises to his side. Looking down he found Charlie, face scrunched and crying quietly.

He put an arm around her and she made a jerky no-I’m-not-fine-but-don't-worry-about-it sort of movement before tucking into his side.

It was another while until Cas reappeared, looking overwhelmed and devastated. Charlie untucked herself from Sam and gave Castiel a long hug, before leading him gently back to the car. Sam watched it disappear, a heaviness settling over him.

He didn’t know if Dean would shut himself in his room for another two days. He didn’t know if there would be yelling, if Dean would ignore him or just...he sighed. There really was no point speculating about what Dean _might_ do when he could just go inside and deal with it.

To his surprise, Dean was in the kitchen.

Making sandwiches.

Sam stopped in the doorway, watching Dean move around. His shoulders were relaxed as he chopped lettuce and cucumbers and peppers and he wasn’t being especially forceful - nor was it that calculated calmness that had defined the first few days after losing Cas...

“I know you’re there, Sammy. You’re like the least stealthy person on this planet,” His voice may have been a bit gruff, but didn’t sound angry. Exasperated, maybe, but not angry.

“Dean?”

“I’m making sandwiches. Turns out your salad dressing crap is good for something after all - put it in along with the mayo and mustard and I think it’ll shape up decently.”

Sam wasn’t sure how to respond.

Dean was supposed to be throwing punches about now.

But he wasn’t.

“Are you ok?” Sam asked carefully.

Dean laughed humorlessly, “Not a bit Sam.”

“So you’re making sandwiches?”

“It’s lunchtime and I’m hungry,” Dean shrugged, “What do you expect?”

“I dunno...yelling? A few more good hits? Locking yourself in your room?There’s plenty of options apart from sandwiches...”

“Yeah well, I figure Cas put the gag order on, yeah?”

“He asked us not to tell you,” Sam confirmed stiffly.

“Okay,” Dean shrugged again, “That’s his business then. You followed through on your end and I guess I can’t be mad at you for that. Hurts like hell, don’t get me wrong - I’d love to take a swing or two, but it’s not really you I wanna beat up. Or Charlie. She okay?”

“She will be. We all have a first time.”

“For?”

“Feeling like we let you down. And I think she and Cas got on well...can’t have been easy to see either of you like that.”

“She didn’t let me down,” Dean said, quietly. “Same as you, she kept her word and I’m guessing she spent time with Cas when she wasn’t here. When did you know?”

“He called me the day after...”

Dean stiffened slightly. “So...the whole time then?”

“Yeah. I was going to tell you right then, I swear Dean, but Cas-”

Dean put his hand up, “You don’t have to...just don’t, okay?...so...what do you know?”

Sam sighed heavily, sat himself down and folded his hands, “He called me from the hospital. Didn’t remember landing - like he _fell_. Literally - not just figuratively. I called Charlie after and that’s when she came this way - met him at the motel I set up for him, shopped for clothes and groceries, helped him pick up his meds and...”

He would have continued, trying to make up for _not_ telling Dean so much, but Dean’s face had fallen and it wasn’t angry or hurt just now- it was _sad_...

“...Dean?”

His big brother sniffed and turned away, voice a little more gruff, “I shoulda been there to help - I mean we owe Charlie big time, and I’m grateful, don’t get me wrong...I mean did he really think I was gonna be mad at him for _surviving_?”

“I don’t know why, Dean...he’s been pretty tight-lipped about it but it’s not like you guys were on the best of terms...and he’s _human_ now, like...not a shred of healing or time travel or flying or jack...He needed to adjust to that too.”

Dean didn’t respond, but Sam could see the precision seep back into his movements, the unspoken questions, _Why couldn’t I take care of him? Why couldn’t he trust me? Why wasn’t I allowed to be there for him?_

And Sam didn’t really know those answers. So they didn’t talk as Dean finished the sandwiches and placed one on a plate in front of him, or as Dean took his own seat and began in on his own.

In fact, they didn’t talk much the rest of the night.


End file.
